Implants can be positioned between adjacent spinous processes to provide resistance to vertebral movement as a result of extension of the spinal column. These implants can provide a shock absorber or bumper that dynamically limits spinal extension. The implants can be secured to the adjacent spinous processes with looped cables or straps that extend completely about the spinous processes and implant to maintain positioning of the implant between the spinous processes while also limiting spinal flexion. While spinous process implants provide dynamic stabilization along the spinal midline, dynamic stabilization at uni-lateral or bi-lateral locations of the posterior vertebral elements is not achieved with such implants.